Playmates Toys
Playmates Toys is a toy manufacturer that has produced a number of lines of Star Trek action figures, vehicles and accessories. In the UK and Europe, the 1990s releases were distributed by Bandai. History The line was launched in fall 1992 with a series of action figures based on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Nearly the entire crew was represented, plus Gowron, a Ferengi, a Borg, and a Romulan. Roleplaying items included a type 2 phaser and communicator, while a shuttlecraft was produced for the figures, all with lights and sounds. A model of the Enterprise-D was also released. The line was quite successful, and another wave of TNG figures, accessories, and vehicles was produced in fall 1993 along with a special boxed set of all seven original series crewmembers. ''Deep Space Nine'' debuted in , followed by more TNG characters plus a line for the feature film . ''Voyager'' figures arrived in , as did more TOS, TNG, and DS9 items. By , the separate lines were all consolidated under a single "Star Trek" banner (with the exception of releases based on and ). However, the license began to decline by . Some collectors believed that promotional stunts by Playmates, such as intentionally producing some figures in lower amounts, and a shift in emphasis from the smaller 4.5-inch figures to larger doll-like 9- and 12-inch figures hurt the brand. By , the number of items produced by Playmates mostly dwindled to limited releases offered exclusively through certain retailers. On , the Star Trek line was formally canceled. Ezri Dax was the only main cast member from the four series in existence during the Playmates license not to receive an action figure from the company. Diamond Select Toys released an Ezri figure in late . The Star Trek: Voyager production staff used parts of Borg action figures to create the pile of Borg corpses as seen in . In , it was reported that Playmates would be creating a toy line for J.J. Abrams' . http://trekmovie.com/2008/01/27/star-trek-headed-back-to-playmates-toys/ This new line of figures, vehicles and role-play items was launched in . A second wave was planned for release in late , later pushed back to spring , before the release was put on hold. http://trekmovie.com/2009/11/25/playmates-star-trek-toys-put-on-hold/ File:TOS action figures.jpg|Assorted ''Original Series'' action figures. File:TNGPlaymatesFigures.jpg|Assorted ''Next Generation'' action figures. releases Star Trek: The Next Generation, 4.5 inch figures, Assortment No. 6010 *Releases in Germany eschewed the standard blister pack used in the United States and elsewhere in Europe in favor of an enclosed box. File:BandaiUKEuropeTNGTroi.jpg|Deanna Troi, #6016, UK/European (not Germany) release. Role-playing, Ships, Playsets and Accessories releases Star Trek: The Next Generation, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6070 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6200 *All figures in this range came with a collector's card from SkyBox. Boxed sets Role-playing, Ships, Playsets and Accessories releases Star Trek: The Next Generation, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6070 , 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6910 The Generations releases featured the original costume designs made for the movie. These designs were scrapped shortly before filming on the movie began, but the action figures were already in production at the time. Figures wearing the correct uniforms would see release over the following years. Star Trek: The Next Generation, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6950 (Part I) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 3450 Boxed sets Role-playing, Ships, Playsets and Accessories releases Star Trek: The Next Generation, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6950 (Part II) Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6230 Classic Star Trek Movies, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6450 Star Trek: Voyager, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6480 Star Trek, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6430 Role-playing, Ships, Playsets and Accessories releases Star Trek, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6430 File:Reginald Barclay action figure - VOY Projections.jpg|Reginald Barclay Starfleet Academy, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 16000 , 6 inch figures, Asst. No. 16100 Star Trek: Voyager, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6480 Mail-away and other Exclusive Figures Role-playing, Ships, Playsets and Accessories Star Trek: Innerspace A new range of playsets 'disguised' as vessels from Star Trek, with 2cm high figures that could be used across the range. Two special Innerspace ships were created to commemorate : releases Star Trek (all series), 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6430 Star Trek Warp Factor Series 1, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65100 *Featuring characters from . Some US releases contained fuzzy tribbles in addition to the hard accessories, and a "Triple Tribble" game card. Star Trek Warp Factor Series 2, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65100 Star Trek Warp Factor Series 3, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65100 Mail-away and other Exclusive Figures Role-playing, Ships, Playsets and Accessories Star Trek: Strike Force A follow-on to the Innerspace series. The range also featured larger playsets: In addition, packs of 'reinforcements' were produced: releases Star Trek Combat Action Series 1, 6 inch figures, Asst. No 16250 Star Trek Warp Factor Series 4, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65140 Star Trek Warp Factor Series 5, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65150 *Bele was supposedly intended to be a figure included in this release, but was removed from the line before production. Star Trek Transporter Series, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65400 Each figure is rendered in a part-translucent state, and come with a battery-operated, push-activated, light and sound base in the style of the appropriate transporter pad. All Next Generation figures were painted in an incorrect uniform style, with the colors inverted, but not in the style of the DS9/VOY uniform. Deanna Troi and Reginald Barclay were originally scheduled to be included in the range, but were not produced. Boxed sets The twin packs came with diorama backing, and lacked accessories. Mail-away and other Exclusive Figures Role-playing, Ships, Playsets and Accessories releases All figures released in 1999 were store exclusives in the US, but given a general (albeit limited) release in Europe and Australia. Star Trek Transporter Series, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65440 Starfleet Command Edition, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65800 Starfleet Command International Edition, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65840 These two figures were originally to be part of assortment #65800, but were dropped by Target. They were still released in Europe and Australia. In total, around 4,000 units were released. Boxed sets Mail-Away and other Exclusive Figures Role-playing, Ships, Playsets and Accessories * None released. releases Release order Wave 1 was released on . A second was planned to follow in several phases July-October 2009. This was initially pushed back to early , but is presently on hold whilst Playmates consider a reorganisation. Galaxy Collection, 3.75 inch figures, Asst. No 61750 :Each figure comes with a Bridge or Transporter Room playset accessory. Wave 1 :For this wave, releases outside the United States do no include the playset accessories. File:Playmates 2009 Galaxy Collection Kirk.jpg|James T. Kirk File:Playmates 2009 Galaxy Collection Sulu.jpg|Hikaru Sulu File:Playmates 2009 Galaxy Collection Original Spock.jpg|Original Spock File:Playmates 2009 Galaxy Collection Uhura.jpg|Uhura File:Playmates 2009 Galaxy Collection Pike.jpg|Christopher Pike File:Playmates 2009 Galaxy Collection Cadet McCoy.jpg|Cadet Leonard McCoy File:Playmates 2009 Galaxy Collection Nero.jpg|Nero File:Playmates 2009 Galaxy Collection Cadet Chekov.jpg|Cadet Pavel Chekov File:Playmates 2009 Galaxy Collection Spock.jpg|Spock File:Playmates 2009 Galaxy Collection Scotty.jpg|Scotty Wave 2 Also included with this wave are two Bonus packs, each containing five of the components missing from international Wave 1 release, with one figure also included in each pack. Warp Collection, 6 inch figures, Asst. No 61600 Wave 1 File:Playmates 2009 Warp Collection Kirk.jpg|James T. Kirk File:Playmates 2009 Warp Collection Spock.jpg|Spock File:Playmates 2009 Warp Collection Nero.jpg|Nero File:Playmates 2009 Warp Collection Original Spock.jpg|Original Spock File:Playmates 2009 Warp Collection Pike.jpg|Christopher Pike File:Playmates 2009 Warp Collection Sulu.jpg|Hikaru Sulu File:Playmates 2009 Warp Collection Cadet Uhura.jpg|Cadet Uhura File:Playmates 2009 Warp Collection Cadet McCoy.jpg|Cadet Leonard McCoy File:Playmates 2009 Warp Collection Cadet Chekov.jpg|Cadet Pavel Chekov File:Playmates 2009 Warp Collection Scotty.jpg|Scotty Wave 2 Command Collection, 12 inch figures Wave 1 File:Playmates 2009 Command Collection Kirk.jpg|James T. Kirk File:Playmates 2009 Command Collection Spock.jpg|Spock File:Playmates 2009 Command Collection McCoy.jpg|Leonard McCoy File:Playmates 2009 Command Collection Sulu.jpg|Hikaru Sulu File:Playmates 2009 Command Collection Pike.jpg|Christopher Pike File:Playmates 2009 Command Collection Original Spock.jpg|Original Spock Wave 2 Role-playing, Ships, Playsets and Accessories File:Playmates 2009 Phaser.jpg|Phaser File:Playmates 2009 Communicator.jpg|Communicator File:Playmates 2009 Tricorder.jpg|Tricorder File:Playmates 2009 Bridge.jpg|''Enterprise'' bridge playset File:Playmates 2009 Transporter.jpg|''Enterprise'' transporter room playset File:Playmates 2009 Enterprise.jpg|''Enterprise'' See also * Remco: The first producers of Star Trek toys based on the original series. Line included an astrotank, astro rocket plane, wrist radios, astro buzz ray gun, mighty mike astro train set, rocket pistols, space helmet, toy phaser gun, astrocopter, USS Enterprise frisbee, and controlled space flight. * Mego: The original producers of Star Trek action figures based on the original series and the first of the feature films. * Galoob: The previous action figure license holder (from to ) and producer of Micro Machines during the Playmates license. * Art Asylum/Diamond Select Toys: The present action figure license holder for figures based on the five series and first ten movies (since ). * Star Trek model kits External links * New Force Comics' - Star Trek Toys Reference Site * Playmates Toys official Site * [http://www.startrektoysonline.com/ Star Trek Toys Online] de:Playmates Toys Category:Collectibles Category:Memory Alpha articles related to Star Trek (film) production